You're a mean one, Mr. C...

You're a foul one Mr. C,

      STINK.
      STANK.
      STUNK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzXKWKaxt3c

Celebration day is today, but since I'm such a Grinch we need to at least start our Chapter 4 proficiency exam. 

With termites in my smile,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Viva la Revolucion!

Damas y Caballeros,

      Today is Tuesday, December 20, 2011.  Simply survey this blog post, then start to finish the Socratic Seminar Debrief with your group.  In the next couple of days you will prepare a paper pencil test OR complete the chapter 4 basic proficiency exam that will assess your understanding of the historical content. 

History

I can identify the significant people and events that tell the story of the United States.

Reading

I can conduct research to find answers to specific questions.

Writing

I can read and comprehend different genres, literary and informational, at an eighth grade proficiency

Here is our adjusted schedule below

Adjusted Schedule for Tues. & Wed., December 20 & 21

Core 1 - 7:25-8:15 (50)

Core 2 - 8:17 - 9:07 (50)

Core 3 - 9:09 - 9:59 (50)

STEaM/Future City:

10:00 to 11:10 and 1:17 to 2:31.

Yours truly,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Live Chat Hunt...

Happy Monday,

      Today is Monday Funday, December 19, 2011.  We have a great week ahead of us young'ins!  To start things off today CORES 1 & 2 will be reflecting on our live chat sessions, and CORE 3 conduct their Socratic Seminar.  CORE 3... Good Luck!  CORES 1 & 2...  Read below and commit to memory before circle. 

      A live chat hunt is one way we are going to debrief our Socratic Seminars.  We have the luxury of going back over the live chat conversation and finding nuggets (or rotten apples) and using those nuggets to REFINE OUR PRACTICE.  I am also trying to save you some extra work, and here is what I mean.  As you complete your live chat hunt you will also be completing your reflections.  Each group's scribe will submit one Debrief Report in a discussion board.  Each person does not have to hand in a report or reflection.  However, each group must submit a Debrief Report.  More directions will follow during circle. 

1. What primary and secondary sources are being used for the Soc Sem.?
(Note: The Author of the book our articles came from is William Dudley.)
2. What are the guiding questions for the Soc. Sem.?
3. What were the most important ideas expressed during the conversation?
4. a. Cite 3 positive procedural contributions you observe in the Live Chat.
    b. Cite 2 potentially negative procedural issues.
5.  At what point did dialogue dive to a deeper level?  Was there a question that created the change?
6. Give two warms and two cools of the seminar discussion. 


Sincerely,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Must Do's & Can Do's...

High Five Friday Cool Cats,

      Today is Friday, December 16, 2011.  Please watch the ShowMe Video I made that explains what today will look like.  The information below is connected to the ShowMe Video.  I will be checking the hybrid chat conversation and checking in with the guest teacher to see how your Socratic Seminar went.  Good Luck!

CLICK HERE FOR ShowMe

Must Do’s:

-Finish Socratic Seminar SQ3R & Primary/Secondary Sources FINISH

-Module 4 if you have not done so

Can Do’s:

-Mosaic of Thought

-FASTFORWARD

            -Free reading with Self Selected text. 

Note on your Mosaic of Thought: (it doesn’t matter when you do it just as long as it is done and completed authentically. You need to know when you are ready and have collected enough information to do it well: not for me... For you.  IT IS NOT A MUST DO TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE A MUST DO NEXT WEEK!!)

Sincerely yours,
C
P.S. In case you haven't figured it out by now, YOU WILL NEED THE BLOG POST FROM YESTERDAY. 
P.S.S. I apologize if I insulted your intelligence. 

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Socratic Seminar #3

Hola Gente,

      Today is Thursday, December 15, 2011.  Today is our Socratic Seminar pertaining to Colonial American history, and more specifically, the institutions of Indentured Servitude and Slavery.  Below you will see information that will get you set up for the seminar.  Please read the information AT LEAST 3 TIMES in order to really understand what we are doing.  There will be three topics of discussion: Indentured Servitude & Slavery, Primary & Secondary Sources, and finally the SQ3R Strategy.  Here are your questions below. 

Indentured Servitude & Slavery:Why do these institutions say something about colonial society? In other words what were the values and attitudes in those times?
Using pieces from our readings, support your opinions on indentured servitude and slavery? Were these institutions necessary? Did they help or hinder the human condition, and do you think either one was morally justified?
What are some lingering questions you have after reading and discussing these topics?


Primary & Secondary Sources:
Apply what you know about... Primary and secondary sources. Why were these pieces of text good/bad for moving your understanding of colonial America forward?


SQ3R
Evaluate yourself on your understanding of the SQ3R reading strategy... How has this strategy changed the way you look at nonfiction text? Expository or textbook literature? Fictional or narrative text?
Sent from my iPhone

Here are the 6 sections of chatrooms.  1&2 are for Core1.  3&4 are for CORE2.  5& 6 are for Core3. 
histlit1
histlit2
histlit3
histlit4
histlit5
histlit6

Last, but not least, here are your learning targets for the day...
Reading:  I can compare and contrast information on the same topic from different sources.
History:  I can recognize how people’s behaviors were influenced by the values and attitudes of their times.

Make an atempt to have fun today... Please!

Yours Truly,
C
From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Why is SQ3R so darn important Mr. C!!?

Hey Everyone,

      Today is Camel Day, December 14, 2011.  You guys and gals are all sick of me pushing SQ3R.   Well...  Good!  That means it may have begun to sink in as to what SQ3R is.  However, now that you know what it is you can dig deeper to really see the PURPOSE of SQ3R.  There is a method to my madness, and I truly do have your future academic experiences at heart.  You are no longer reading to simply enjoy a narrative text.  You must learn how to read and ENGAGE PARTS OF YOUR BRAIN!!

SQ3R

University of Phoenix Dude

Here are our learning targets. (Wait a minute, they look familiar!):
Reading:  I can compare and contrast information on the same topic from different sources.
History:  I can recognize how people’s behaviors were influenced by the values and attitudes of their times.


From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Choices, choices, choices...

Hey there!

      Today is Monday Funday, December 12, 2011.  Today is the last day for finishing up the four modules we have been working on so far.  You will have some choices today as we move forward:

      1.  Feel free to finish up the last module or modules you need to.
      2.  Feel free to open up and begin the Primary Source Activity found in INVESTIGATE.
      3.  Feel free to meet with me in a strategy group to start picking apart the Socratic Seminar document. 

Any one of these three choices would put you in a position to rock out the Socratic Seminar this Thursday the 15th.  Take some time to view one of these short clips before joining the community circle.  Our focus will soon shift as we focus on a couple societal norms that were accepted during the early colonial years of the United States.    

Indentured Servants from Ireland

History of Slavery Brought to you by Tim & Moby

If you do join the strategy group, here will be the learning targets we will hit today. 
Reading:  I can compare and contrast information on the same topic from different sources.
History:  Recognize how people’s behaviors were influenced by the values and attitudes of their times.

Sincerely,
C
From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Thirteen Colonies...

High Five Friday,

      Today is High Five Friday, December 9, 2011.  I am hoping most of you are finishing your modules by now.  If you have not gotten to module 4 try to get there today and work through it.  Here is a link that might help you:

   http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/thirteencolonies/

If you finish your modules today your guest teacher from yesterday should have shown you where the primary source documents are in bb9.  They are under INVESTIGATE.  Read, practice sq3r, and enjoy.

Sincerely,

C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Primary Sources vs. Secondary Sources

Welcome to Think Spot Thursday Teenie Boppers,

      Today is Thursday, December 8, 2011.  If you are reading this by now you realize there is a guest teacher in my stead.  I am at a grammar workshop with the other middle school literacy teachers within the district.  Below is a link to a video of some of the things we are discussing.  (Between you and me kiddies, I think I would rather be in my tooth extraction surgery instead of a workshop about grammar... Ugh!)

http://youtu.be/TwFCZSd7Fvo
"You're rhyming 'BADLY'" Hahaha

Mc Grammar take it away!!

      Today you will complete your learning modules.  We took a break yesterday to COLLABORATE and create our bumper sticker messages.  They turned our great and show how much you all know about this point in history.  Well done.  Remember, your learning modules can be found in EXPLORATION, COLONIZATION, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - IMMERSE - (Chapter 3 or Chapter 2)  Here is the plan for the day in Historical Literacy...

1.  Attendance
2.  Students are working on 4 different Learning modules.  (LEARNING MODULES ARE LISTED ON THE WHITE BOARD)
3. Students are within the process of one of these 4 modules: The Arrival of the Spanish, Chapter 2 reading test, Chapter 3 reading test, and finally Our Founding Colonies.
4. Students on task will be typing up blog posts, taking online tests, viewing videos, reading in the textbooks, and may be having conversations together.
5. Students have been going to other learning spaces with in the school, but  I DO NOT want them to leave the room today.  If they really want to, the hallway is a reasonable alternative. 
6. If students finish the modules early there is a Primary Source Lesson under the investigate tab of Exploration, Colonization, and the American Revolution. 
7. Please have the students wrap up their work, save, submit, and clean up at around 8:35 so that they may move on to CORE 2. 
8. As students are working, walk around the room and see if any need help with historical contexts or reading the text. 

      A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:

• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 
• CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art 
• RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

Examples of primary sources include:

• Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII 
• The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History 
• A journal article reporting NEW research or findings 
• Weavings and pottery - Native American history 
• Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece 

What is a secondary source?
A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types of seconday sources include:

• PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias 

Examples of secondary sources include:

• A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings 
• A history textbook 
• A book about the effects of WWI 

Search by keyword for Primary Sources in the Main Catalog
You can search the Main Catalog to find direct references to primary source material. Perform a keyword search for your topic and add one of the words below:
(these are several examples of words that would identify a source as primary)

• charters
• correspondence
• diaries
• early works
• interviews
• manuscripts
• oratory
• pamphlets
• personal narratives
• sources
• speeches
• letters
• documents

Yours Truly,

C
P.S. I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I so and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest!

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Camel Day: BUMPER STICKERS!

Good Day to you all,

      Today is Camel Day, December 7, 2011.  You all have been doing a remarkable job with the past few learning modules, the Colonization/Exploration blogging, and ALL THE FRUSTRATIONS WITH THE TEXT BOOK TESTS.  Well, today all your hard work, headaches, and conferences with me should all pay off.  Let me explain...

      Remember the "C" in WICR?  Yeah, that "C" doesn't just stand for "Cool Christianson"; it also stands for "Collaboration".  What better way to collaborate than a tribes activity?  The tribes activity is called Bumper Stickers.  To launch this activity you are going to need an "ADMISSION TICKET".  If you have ever played poker, an admission ticket is kind of like an ante.  It's what you pay to get into the game.  Your admission ticket for Bumper Stickers will be one or two nuggets from the work you have done on your modules thus far.  A nugget for this admission ticket could be one of the following:

  -a fact you remember

  -new schema you know now that you didn't know before

  -a lingering question you have after reading and studying

  -a question you remember from an online test that threw you for a loop

  -a concept we talked about in class

  -an idea you recorded in your Cornell Notes

  -a connection to something else you have read

  -a blog post you or someone else posted

Write your nugget on a post-it note WITH YOUR NAME and park it in the parking lot that we know so well.  This will take us to the next stage in out tribes day activity.  Grab your chairs and let's head out to the office commons just like old times. 

      When we get back from the office commons we should be ready to start creating our bumper stickers.  In groups of 4 we are going to compile our nuggets into a bumper sticker we would all put on our cars, but instead of putting them on a car we are going to redecorate our walls and windows in our learning space.  Based on some of the things we have read and talked about in our energizer, create a "BUMPER STICKER MESSAGE" that the group can mutually agree upon.  Please try to include everyone's nuggets if possible.  We need to throw all our collective knowledge up on the walls.  I hope you all enjoy!  

Yours Truly,

C

P.S. I hear and I forget.

I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest!   

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy